SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ FEBRUARY 12, 2024
FEAST OF OUR LADY OF ARGENTEUIL
Greetings beloved family and Happy Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time!
May God grant us His grace and mercy as we prepare to begin Lent, a period of fasting and penance this week, on Ash Wednesday, February 14, 2024.🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on February 12, 2024 on EWTN” |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | February 12, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary From Lourdes, France” | February 12, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | February 12, 2024 |
Pray “Chaplet of the Divine Mercy from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | February 12, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Today’s Bible Readings: Monday, February 12, 2024
Reading 1, James 1:1-11
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 119:67, 68, 71, 72, 75, 76
Gospel, Mark 8:11-13
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY: MONTH OF THE PASSION OF OUR LORD: The month of February is traditionally dedicated to the Passion of Our Lord in anticipation of the liturgical season of Lent. In this month, we begin to meditate on the mystery of Jesus’ sufferings which culminated in his death on the Cross for the redemption of mankind. Saints who had a special devotion to Christ’s passion include St. Francis of Assisi, who was the first known Saint to receive the stigmata; St. John of the Cross; St. Bridget of Sweden; and St. Catherine of Siena.
On this special feast day, Feast of Our Lady of Argenteuil, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on the first memorial anniversary of his death. We pray for the repose of his gentle soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May the gentle soul of Pope Benedict XVI and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
Please let us continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏
PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏
A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
SAINTS OF THE DAY: Today, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Argenteuil and the Memorial of Saints Saturninus and Companions, Martyrs of Abitina in Africa; Saint Julian the Hospitaller and Eulalia, Virgin and Martyr (refer to the Memorial celebration December 10th)
OUR LADY OF ARGENTEUIL: Our Lady of Argenteuil, Paris, built by Clovis I (101) containing a portion of the Seamless Garment. The Abbot Orsini wrote: “This priory preserves a portion of the seamless garment of Our Lord.” In about the year 500, Clovis was the King of the Franks, but he was not yet a Catholic. Years passed as his wife Clotilda prayed for her husband to convert, yet always King Clovis demurred. Then one fateful day Clovis was engaged in a desperate battle, finding himself sorely bested. At the point of ruin, he cried aloud to the Christian God to assist him, promising to forsake his pagan gods if he were granted a miraculous victory. Looking up to heaven, Clovis cried: “Jesus Christ, whom Clotilda declares to be the Son of the Living God, who it is said givest aid to the oppressed and victory to those who put their hope in Thee, I beseech the glory of Thy aid! If Thou shalt grant me victory over these enemies and I test that power which people consecrated to Thy name say they have proved concerning Thee, I will believe in Thee and be baptized in Thy name. For I have called upon my gods, but, as I have proved, they are far removed from my aid. So I believe that they have no power, for they do not succor those who serve them. Now I call upon Thee, and I long to believe in Thee – all the more that I may escape my enemies!”
God was pleased to answer Clovis’ petition immediately, for no sooner had he prayed than his enemies fled the field. Clovis won the battle, and he was a man of his word. Hating his former error, Clovis converted to the True Faith. It is related in the Gospels that Christ’s executioners played dice over this tunic. According to legend, that tunic was found in the fourth century by Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine. It was then kept in Constantinople until the eighth century. In the year 800, the Empress Irene of Byzantium offered Charlemagne the Holy Tunic at his coronation as Emperor of the West. The emperor then gave the relic to the priory of Argenteuil when his daughter, Theodrade, became abbess. In the year 850, the Normans plundered the village of Argenteuil, including the Basilica of Saint Dennis, but the tunic was hidden in a wall before their arrival. When the abbey was rebuilt in 1003, the relic was restored. It is venerated until the 16th century when it was partially burned by Huguenots in 1567. During the French Revolution the Benedictine priory was destroyed, and the relic then given to a parish church for safekeeping. In 1793, a priest found it necessary to cut it into pieces and bury them in his garden to protect them from profanation. In 1795, after the priest’s imprisonment had ended, the Holy Tunic appeared again and the different fragments were sewn back together. The Holy Tunic was displayed again in the nineteenth century, and pilgrimages resumed. On the 13 of December in 1983, the parish priest of Saint Dennis discovered the tunic had been stolen. On February 2,1984, Father Guyard received a phone call from a stranger promising to return the treasure on the condition that their names would be kept secret. That same evening the tunic, with its case, was found in the Basilica of Saint Dennis.
The last solemn exposition of the tunic took place during the Easter holiday in 1984. In six days, approximately 80,000 people came to see the tunic. The Holy Tunic measures nearly 5’ by 3’ in size. The fibers are wool and of a very regular size. It is a soft, lightweight fabric, and the weaving is uniform and regular with a twisted “Z,” made on a primitive loom. The tunic is remarkable for a tunic woven manually, as it is made without any seam, including the sleeves. The dark brown fabric is typical of the clothing in the early centuries of the Christian era. The fabric was dyed brown, using a method widely in practice at the time by people of modest means. The construction and dyeing show the tunic to date from the time of Christ. It is the garment worn by Christ after the Flagellation and along the road to Calvary as He carried His cross. Christ’s blood and sweat thus impregnate the fabric. In 1985 a test was done showing the blood was type AB. Pollen common to Palestine has also been found in the fabric.
HAIL MARY: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen🙏
SAINTS SATURNINUS AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS OF ABITINA IN AFRICA: The persecutions of Christians in the 4th century were brutal under the Emperor Diocletian. One of the worst scenes was in Abitina, a town in North Africa. Diocletian issued an order that all Christians, under penalty of death, had to deliver up Holy Scriptures to be burned. The bishop of Abitina complied with the magistrates and brought them the sacred Scriptures to be consumed by fire. This act of sacrilege was followed by a hailstorm, which ravaged the whole country, and a violent rainstorm that extinguished the fire.
About the year 304, during a Sunday service in the home of Octavius Felix, Roman soldiers seized 49 people including their priest from Abitina in Africa, Saturninus and his four children and 44 other Christian men, women and children from the same city were arrested during Sunday assemble for refusing to hand over the Sacred Scriptures. Two eldest of the four children of Saturninus, were lectors, Mary was a virgin consecrated to God, and Hilary was a young boy. When they were brought before their judges, they so zealously professed Jesus that even their tormentors were impressed with their faith, however, it did little to spare them. After some of them were tortured, these dedicated Christians were sent to Carthage for trial and brought before the proconsul Anulinus. Upon their arrival, some were put on the rack, their bodies torn with iron hooks. Other forms of torture were inflicted on the rest. All appeared before Anulinus on February 11, 304, and strongly defended their Faith before being sent back to prison.
The proconsul focused on the youngest child of Saturninus and tried to get him to reject his faith. Young Hilarianus, however, filled with the Holy Spirit, was not afraid and announced, “I am a Christian; I have been at the collect (gathering to worship), and it was of my own voluntary choice, without any compulsion.” The proconsul then threatened him by telling him that he would cut off his nose and ears. The child replied, “You may do it; but I am a Christian.” With this, the proconsul ordered the child and all the others to prison. They all ended their lives under the hardships of their imprisonment except for two, who on Feb. 11 died from their wounds.
PRAYER: Lord, we devoutly recall the sufferings of Sts. Saturnius and his Companions. Give success to our joyful prayers and grant us also constancy in our Faith. Amen🙏
SAINT JULIAN THE HOSPITALLER: Also known as “the Poor Man,” came from a wealthy, noble family in the early 4th century and he married a noble widow. Heis a popular saint in Western Europe. According to a legend, while Julian was a baby, he was cursed to one-day kill his own parents. His father wanted him killed, but his mother kept him alive. When he was old enough to learn of the curse, he left his family to preserve their safety. Julian and his wife moved far away from them. Julian’s parents later found their whereabouts and made an unexpected visit to his castle while Julian was away hunting. His wife gave them one of the best rooms. He received a vision from the devil that his wife was in his bed with another man, and he returned home to kill whoever was in his bed. When Julian returned from his hunt and saw the two figures in bed, he assumed it was his wife with a lover. In a jealous rage, Julian killed his mother and father. Julian was so horrified upon learning the truth that he swore to devote the remainder of his life to good works and penance. He and his wife then undertook a pilgrimage to Rome, and on their return established a hospital to continue their penance, dedicating their lives to caring for the poor and sick. Sometime later, Julian was awakened in the middle of a cold night by a voice crying out for help. Finding a man with leprosy nearly frozen to death, he disregarded the danger to himself and carried him into his house and placed the stranger in his own bed. In the morning, Julian woke to find the man—now shining in heavenly light—ascending to heaven. As he vanished from sight, he told Julian that God had accepted his penance and granted him absolution for his sins, that God would reward Julian and his wife for the care they showed to those in need.
The hospital was built near a river that was frequently crossed by people prompted to travel by the Holy Crusades. People frequently drowned crossing this river so Julian took responsibility of ferrying travelers across and tending to the sick. One night, the devil vandalized his house, and blaming it on those he helped, Julian said that he would never house anyone else ever again. God showed up at his door, asking for help, and he denied Him. After recognizing him, he retracted his statement and decided to help all those who needed it once again. One night, thieves came into their hospital and killed Julian and his wife in the same way Julian had killed his mother and father. “There were great miracles without end in that place and land,” recounts the legend. “So many that, as it pleased God, their bodies were brought to Brioude (France).” St. Julian is considered the Patron Saint of ferrymen, innkeepers, hospitality, travelers, boatmen, pilgrims, knights and circus performers.
For prayer and reflection: “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained Angels.” ~ Hebrews 13:1-2
PRAYER: O God, who alone are holy and without whom no one is good, command, we pray, through the intercession of blessed Julian, that we be numbered among those who do not deserve to be deprived of your glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen🙏
PRAYER INTENTIONS: We thank God for blessing us all with the gift of His precious son, may we be saved by the name of our Savior Jesus Christ! May the Lord grant us His grace as we continue to serve Him in spirit and in truth. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for peace, love and unity in our families, our marriages and our divided and conflicted world. Every life is a gift. We continue to pray for all those who are sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. May God restore them to good health and grant them His Divine healing and intervention. May our Mother Mary comfort them, may the Angels and Saints watch over them and may the Holy Spirit guide them in peace and comfort during this challenging time. We pray for the safety and well-being of us all and our families. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world. Please let us continue to pray for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS
Bible Readings for today, Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Gospel Reading ~ Mark 8:11-13
“Why does this generation seek a sign?”
“The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.”
Today’s Gospel reading presents a confrontation between our Lord Jesus and the Pharisees, who argued with Him and doubted His works and teachings. Jesus is said to be tested by the Pharisees. They demanded a sign from heaven, to test Him. Those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law had witnessed the signs and wonders, miracles and all the glorious things which the Lord had done, and yet, they failed to believe in Him, and they still kept on pestering Him with many questions and queries, doubting His authenticity and authority, and even accusing Him of colluding with evil spirits. Ironically, those same Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were the ones who were most familiar and knowledgeable about the Law of God as well as the words and teachings of the Prophets, and hence they should have been the ones who should be the earliest to recognise the Lord by the signs and wonders He had done. Jesus responded to the Pharisees’ request for a sign from heaven ‘with a sigh that came straight from the heart’. That sigh issued forth in a question, ‘Why does this generation seek a sign?’ We can almost sense the frustration and weariness of Jesus in that phrase, ‘with a sigh that came straight from the heart’. The religious quest often takes the form of a search for heavenly signs, a longing for the extra-ordinary and unusual. The Jesus of the Gospels, however, will always redirect us towards the ordinary. He speaks of the sower who goes out to sow his field, the woman who looks for her lost coin, the care that a Samaritan traveller gives to a stranger on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, the man who unexpectedly finds treasure in his field, the merchant who finds the pearl he has been seeking, and so on. It is in the ordinary that the mystery of God’s kingdom is to be found, because heaven and earth are full of God’s glory for those who have eyes to see. Since the death and resurrection of Jesus, the kingdom of God is among us.
In our first reading today from the Epistle of St. James, the Apostle St. James the Greater told the faithful to put their faith and trust in the Lord, and whatever that they may be lacking, be it in wisdom or anything else, they should seek them in the Lord, Who would guide them and strengthen them in all things. They should not doubt or be filled with anxiety or uncertainty, as in the Lord there is true and real assurance of hope and redemption, help and recourse from our trials and troubles. Those who doubt and are divided in their minds will not have peace and happiness, because they cannot trust in God’s Providence, and will always try to seek for consolation and help in the various other means and assistance from the world.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded that we should always be faithful and committed to the Lord at all times, and that we should not easily be tempted and swayed from the path that the Lord has shown us. Each and every one of us as Christians must always strive to do what God has shown and taught us to do, in each and every moments of our lives. We must not be misled by our pride, ego and greed, all of which can bring us down the path towards our downfall and destruction. We should be humble and be willing to allow the Lord to come into our midst, and to do what He will do in bringing us all towards His grace and truth. Otherwise we are likely to fall into the same trap of sin and faithlessness as the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, who did not allow the Lord’s truth and love to enter into their hearts and minds. We must always steady ourselves in faith, in the Lord so that by our steadfastness in following God, we can be good role models and examples for everyone else present around us. Let us all therefore do our part, in our own daily lives, at each and every moments so that we may be sources of inspiration and good role models for one another. Each and every one of us as Christians must always be the shining beacons of God’s Light, Good News and love, showing everyone all around us Who He is, and what He has promised and reassured us all with. Through us, our words and actions, all of our deeds and interactions, we can be good and faithful missionaries and disciples of the Lord just as all of us have been called to do. May the good Lord continue to strengthen our faith in Him, and give us all the courage and the hope, the perseverance and the power to carry out our lives with His grace, guided through His wisdom and love, that we may be true and genuine Christians in all things, and not just merely a formality only. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace to be exemplary in our way of life, in our actions, words and deeds so that we may inspire others to follow in our footsteps and be faithful to God as well. May God bless our works and endeavours, and be with us always, through our lives, at all times, helping us to resist the many temptations of sin and worldly glory. Amen🙏
Let us pray:
My compassionate Jesus, Your heart was filled with the deepest compassion for the Pharisees. That compassion led You to express a holy sorrow over their stubbornness. Give me Your same heart, dear Lord, and help me to grieve not only over the sins of others, but also over my own sins, especially when I am stubborn of heart. Melt my heart, dear Lord, and help me to also be an instrument of Your holy sorrow to those in need of this grace. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of Argenteuil and Saints Saturninus and Companions; Saint Julian the Hospitaller and Eulalia ~ Pray for us🙏
Thanking God for the gift of this new year and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all as during this Ordinary Time. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful Lenten week. May God keep us all safe and well ~ Amen🙏
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖
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